Sochi staying on calendar until 2025

Russia is set to remain on the F1 calendar for the best part of the next decade.

We reported recently that Sochi race organisers have secured enough private sponsorship to pay the annual fee without any public funds.

Now, it emerges that the state-linked Russian finance group VTB has secured the naming sponsorship rights to the grand prix.

And deputy Russian prime minister Dmitry Kozak told Tass news agency: "Negotiations were conducted and the contract for the formula one race in Russia was extended until 2025."